8,000 Steps!

I am discovering new apps for my phone - - either through recommendations or in magazines.  One was a free pedometer so I downloaded it.  It was easy enough to figure out - - or so I thought.  It showed a map and took my location.  I thought it would show how far I traveled across the United States because it showed that map first.  What a great incentive to see how long it would take to go to the west coast!

The phone was in my pocket as I was getting ready for work.  Before I got in the car, it showed I had taken 500 steps.  That seemed a decent start for the day.  Work is 5.9 miles away.  Walking from the parking lot to the inside of the building is a short distance.  When I got to my desk, I decided to look at the pedometer again and it said I had walked over eight thousand steps!!!

My first thought was the pedometer was broken but then I discovered it was measuring my steps by the distance I traveled - - - using the GPS!  Naturally I had to tell everyone what had happened.  We laughed about it.

After turning the GPS off, I discovered the device only counted steps when my phone was unlocked which meant the screen was always lit - - - and running down the battery quicker.  End result - - that app has been deleted!

However Life*IQ by Reader's Digest is a fun game that has some very helpful information and it's free!

And totally unrelated to anything else, have you tried this?

It's really good.  We will probably use it frequently.

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Mark 9:50a

A Couple of Links

I follow the blogs of two very creative people who are also great assets to their communities.  They just happen to be mother and daughter.  Both just bought new cameras.

 I love the pictures of light the daughter took.  Here is the link:

http://dahlenje.blogspot.com/2012/08/painting-with-light.html 

On her mom's link, the pictures of the flowers on the fence are stunning.  I have never seen sidewalk landscaping like that before.

http://farsideoffifty.blogspot.com/2012/08/flowers-on-main.html  

In other news, I am trying to play catch-up with your blogs - - - will not get comments on all but will read them.  It has been a busy month!

Presently, my knee is doing fairly okay!  I don't have pain.  Swelling has gone down.  Now the trick will be for me not to overdo because I feel better.  It could be a definite set-back.  But it feels so good to feel good!

In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.  Ecclesiastes 12:3a  The Message

(Yes, I know it's not the cheeriest of verses - - but it's the truth, isn't it?)

 

Saturday!

Last Saturday we went to our public library to learn how to check-out books electronically to our phones.  We can get audio or books with text.  We are more interested in the audio books because we like to listen to them in the car during our commutes about town.

 

Afterwards we went to one of our favorite places to eat - - Ocoee Dam Deli - - - located near TVA Dam #1 in the Ocoee Region.  If you haven't been there, definitely try a wrap.  They are delicious.  Their plate meals are great, too and their hamburgers are the best we have ever eaten.

Many of you know we didn't head down to that restaurant just to eat - - - or to go Whitewater Rafting.  Rather - - - we were on our way to see Benjamin Thomas!!!

He and Pop Pop both enjoyed their time together!

"Pop Pop - - the sun is in my eyes!"

 

Of course, Grammy had to have her time with him, too.  This is the better picture of him while I was holding him.

 This is one of the better pics of me.   This boy is so precious - - - just seems contented most of the time.  He is very strong already - - can lift that head up and hold it there a few seconds.

My friends predicted it - - - that I would become a bragging grandmother more than the rest of them!  Keep in mind, the boy is only one month old so he is still new to us but we are so in love that I almost cry thinking about him.  God is so good to us!!!!!

And I know you have probably seen enough pictures, but just one more time, hop over to my daughter's blog and see the photos she took of him on his bearskin rug. 

Your servant has killed both lion and bear  I Samuel 17:36a

Life can be tiring.

Here is a big "pat-on-the-back" to the Quilters with a Purpose at First Baptist!

They met this week for a three day marathon.

They told the members of the congregation they would make a quilt for them out of their T-shirts - - for a quoted price.

They were overwhelmed with orders to fulfill.

All of the women quilters are volunteers.  No one receives any money for what they do.  It is their ministry for missions.   This month's project was for the Build a City Project.  If you get a minute, go to their site and read about the houses being built for persons who live in a dump.   Each house will cost $1,000 to build.  In three days, the quilters raised enough to build two houses and are closing in on the third!

And here is a gift to me from a friend at church.  Her husband pickles beets from his garden.  His recipe is one of the best.  A couple of weeks ago, it came up in conversation how much I enjoyed the jar he gave us a summer or two ago - - - - and the next day - - - she bought me some!   YUM!!!  We ate half the jar the other night and will savor the rest at another meal.

And I do not have a picture of the place Amanda and I went yesterday but it was a consignment sale run by our friend, Cheri.   Bows to Toes is open to the public this week.  For more information, go to this link.   We purchased quite a few outfits yesterday and some toys.  I found a wonderful stroller and also a changing table - - so baby furniture for our home now seems complete.

Benjamin is still doing great!  Sorry I don't have pictures to post right now - - I didn't take any on the last visit.

And on the tiring side of life, we are dealing with a leak in our "new roof".  Some days it seems like life is uphill and when you think you are close to the top of getting some projects done, then you slide back below the bottom again.  At my age, time and energy are definitely less than my ambition and I don't need another obstacle - - - especially when my problem knee is giving me lots of grief again, too. 

Oh well - - - on the flip side, we have a house that is in better shape than many - - and we have a house - - - which is in contrast to many in the midwest who have lost them to fire.   And our roofer will be back to try and solve the problem again.

And Praise God for those who supported Chick-fil-A businesses across our nation.  This is a great company who not only provides quality products but also contributes in other ways to our communities - - from scholarships for college students to Winshape homes for foster children.  The jobs at our local CFA are coveted by applicants.  Our manager and his wife are phenomenal people. 

If you saw the news, there are obviously many of us who support the Biblical view of marriage.  That doesn't mean we haven't done business with those of you who don't have the same view - - but we haven't tried to boycott you - -- - so quit the intolerant attitude.  I am not going to preach a sermon to anyone so won't say more - - - except in prayer to God.

And I'm tired of politics - - seems non-stop at times.  But on the flip side, aren't the Olympic athletes amazing?!!!  Talk about people working hard to reach a goal - - - that's them!

And this was longer than usual and if you didn't stick with it to the end, that's fine, too.  This is more of a journal for me to keep track of life.  Sorry if Pollyanna and her silver lining may have gotten lost in a couple of areas.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you  I Thessalonians 5:18

Baby Love

We got to spend time with Benjamin and his parents today.  All of us got to hold him a bunch but you won't know it from these pictures!   This child can sleep through about anything.  The reason is probably a result from spending almost four days in NICU - - where the lights never go out and there is continual noise of some sort.  (In the picture above, notice the size of his hands compared to Bill's.)

I love my tender-hearted husband and his strong love for all of us.  He is precious, precious, precious!!!!!   And so is this sweet new grandchild God has given us!

I think Benjamin is telling his fans that he has had enough of the paparazzi for the day!

Yes, may you see your children's children.  Psalm 128:6a

My Name is Grammy!!!!!

I met our kids at the pediatrician's office today so I could hold Benjamin Thomas for my first time.  Our last visit together was in the NICU when he held my finger.

 

Long story short, the beginning of this week was not exactly what anyone anticipated but he is a "normal, healthy newborn" now!  Face shots of him are being reserved for my daughter to post first.  There are none on her blog yet but you can look for future updates at  http://bearcatfeet.blogspot.com

We are head over heels in love big time with this small bundle.  He is our first grandchild.  (The picture was taken with my cell phone but I am sure I will have a BUNCH more after Sunday.)

 

 You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.  Psalm 139

Deja Vu . . . All Over Again

Deja Vu All Over Again . . . Who remembers that quote?  Who remembers the person who said it?  If you guessed Yogi Berra, you are correct.  If you want to remember more of what he said, go to this link.

Thursday night, July 5, we had a repeat storm with the horrible high winds - - but no rain this time.  This tree is on our neighbor's property.  The picture does not do it justice.  The tree's diameter was at least 36 inches.  If you look at the left of the picture - - just past the clear ground and behind the tree in the background, you will see a second tree that was knocked over by the one in the foreground.    Midway on the right you can see a split rail fence.  Our  property is on the other side.

In this pic, our house is perpendicular three houses to the left.  (You can't see it.)  The amazing thing is with all the trees down in our neighborhood, none landed on houses or people.  God is good to protect us!

This tree blocking the road is across town in our daughter's neighborhood.  On the right, it is resting on "lines".  See the lines dangling beside the pole on the left?  Those used to be connected to our daughter's house.

The neighbor's cat - - checking out the new climbing toy.

I was impressed at the strength of the wires running into the house.  They were strong enough not to break - - but rather to pull the meter box and electric pole off the house!  It's funny how dramatic things are to us who are not familiar with them - - - like where does a person begin to repair this?  However, to our electrician, Steve Ownby, it's just a routine job.  Praise God for knowledgeable, skilled persons!

 

Same cat with one of it's offspring!

We were not about to complain about our yard having bunches of limbs down again - - - not with the magnitude others were dealing with.

Our biggest inconvenience on this second storm was loss of power for 22 hours.  We knew if it continued much longer, we would lose everything in our basement freezer.  However, we were able to transfer the contents to an almost empty freezer at church.  But we did lose everything in the refrigerator.  That is not a complaint because life could be worse and is for many, many people.  We are blessed to have our house, electricity, air conditioning, and the means to go buy more groceries.

Our area electric companies are to be commended.  They said the power outages were as great or greater in number than when we had the tornadoes.  The majority of the area had power within 12 hours.  The crews worked through the night and through the high heat on Friday.  We are very appreciative of what they did for all of us.

We still need rain though.  It is forecast for sometime this week.

 He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work  Exodus 35:35a